Mike Tyson opened up a can of worms as the heavyweight champion made sensational claims regarding some of his victories during his career.
“The Baddest Man on the Planet” has never held back. This time around, he aimed his former promoter and detonated on bouts he was involved in.
Speaking on an episode of the Boxing Arabia podcast, Tyson stated his belief that referees were rigged in his favor. The former undisputed heavyweight champion says some of those he faced had more than his devastating power to deal with inside the ropes.
Mike Tyson questions the Buster Douglas fight
“Don King did that BS to me. Don King set me up,” Tyson pointed out when speaking about his loss to Buster Douglas in 1990. “I never said that before, but it made sense.”
On the fact he knocked Douglas out a couple of rounds before being counted out, with the referee giving a slow count, Tyson says this is the kind of thing that used to work in his favor.
The 42-1 (odds), I could win this [fight with Douglas]. He and the referee talk that BS because I don’t want to tell you what we did before.
“I’m not going to mention no promoters. But there were fights I had where the opponent didn’t know they were fighting me and the referee.”
Huge underdog
Considering that big bets may have been placed on Douglas at 42-1, Tyson didn’t hold back his feelings on the situation.
“That’s just how it went. People are betting, the odds, they got ahold of the referee, so they’re fighting me and the referee.
“I don’t know, the guy doesn’t even know, then I found out later what’s going on. Then they did it to me [in the Douglas fight].”
Tyson is currently in training with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. “Iron Mike” will be cornering for “The Predator” against Tyson Fury on October 28.
So whether Mike is bringing those claims to fuel the build-up of Fury vs Ngannou is anyone’s guess. Don King certainly won’t be on board with the claims.
The pair enjoyed a love-hate relationship back in the day. These days, it’s more of a stay away from each other situation right now.
King isn’t one for taking allegations lying down, though. So, it will be interesting to see how the flamboyant promoter reacts to what Tyson has revealed.
